AUS professor’s film Halal Dreams screened at Oscar-qualifying Seattle International Film Festival 2026

Photo caption: Mohammed Mamdouh addressing the audience at the screening of Halal Dreams at Seattle International Film Festival. Image credit: Ashlyn Gehrett

Halal Dreams, the latest short film directed by Mohammed Mamdouh, Assistant Professor of Art and Design at American University of Sharjah (AUS) and an AUS alumnus, was recently screened at the 52nd Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), concluded in May 2026. Following its recent selection at the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs), this is the film’s second selection by a festival recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

Widely regarded as one of the oldest and most respected Oscar-qualifying film festivals in North America, SIFF remains the largest and the most-attended film festival in the United States. Consistently named among the top 50 “unmissable film festivals in the world” by Variety magazine, this year’s edition featured a diverse lineup of more than 200 films across 10 days, drawing more than 150,000 attendees.

Set against the unceasing, bright lights of New York’s Times Square, Halal Dreams follows the poignant life of an Egyptian halal cart worker. The narrative explores the profound isolation of a father struggling to maintain a meaningful, long-distance connection with his daughter from the heart of a city that never stands still. By highlighting the plight of a migrant worker trying to safeguard a familial bond while engulfed by frantic surroundings, the film strikes a universally human chord. 

Speaking at the screening, Mamdouh said: “The story of halal cart worker Mohammad isn't that different from anyone else's. He's a father, he has a daughter, and he misses her. In telling the story, we wanted to make sure that we don't just represent his voice, but the voices of so many other workers across the city.”

For an independent short film like Halal Dreams, securing a spot in the festival highlights its status as an award-winning project. A total of 203 films were screened out of nearly 4,000 global submissions, making Mamdouh’s film one of the top 5 percent of movies selected.

Photo caption: Assistant Professor Mohammed Mamdouh and writer–producer Jumana Radi pose during the premiere of Halal Dreams at the Seattle International Film Festival. Image credit: Ashlyn Gehrett

At SIFF 2026, Halal Dreams was showcased alongside high-profile studio productions, sharing the festival spotlight with titles like A24’s The Invite, featuring Seth Rogen and Edward Norton and directed by Olivia Wilde, and Curry Barker’s highly-rated international hit Obsession. Halal Dreams was packaged with the screening of Valentina, a feature film executive produced by Jessica Alba. Both screenings of Mamdouh's film received a positive response from festival audiences and international critics alike, establishing the short as a regular on the contemporary cinema film circuit.

The success of Mamdouh’s latest work at SIFF follows a long string of international accolades for the project. Halal Dreams originally premiered at the New York Short Film Festival in November 2025, where it won Best Documentary Film, among others. Since its debut, it has built an impressive international reputation, winning more than 10 awards at film festivals spanning the United States, Thailand and Russia.

This marks Mamdouh’s second project to secure widespread international acclaim. His previous film, The Keyboard (2024), was officially selected for screening at more than 30 international festivals and claimed multiple awards.

Poster Credit: Designed by Amar Tello, AUS visual communication alumna and former CAAD student. 

"It was an extraordinary honor to be selected for screening at SIFF 2026 and to be among some of the most exciting voices in cinema globally," Mamdouh said. "This platform allows an inherently regional story about displacement and connection to reach a global consciousness, and it underscores the power of independent cinema to bridge cultural divides." 

Mamdouh also expressed his appreciation for the encouragement and support provided by Professor Joseph Colistra, Dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD), and Dr. Zinka Bejtic, Head of the Department of Art and Design at CAAD.

The international triumph of Halal Dreams serves as a powerful testament to the caliber of CAAD’s film and cinema education program. The curriculum spans specialized areas including film production, screenwriting, documentary filming, film design and multimedia filmmaking.

By emphasizing technical excellence, narrative depth and creative freedom, the department fosters an environment where creative ideas lead to tangible and globally recognized outcomes. The direct overlap between faculty research and world-class production standards demonstrates how AUS' academic backdrop actively contributes high-quality, meaningful content to the international creative landscape, proving that its faculty and alumni are not just teaching contemporary cinema, they are actively shaping it.

To learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Film and New Media Design at CAAD visit www.aus.edu/caad/department-of-art-and-design.

About SIFF

SIFF is a Seattle-based arts nonprofit dedicated to the creation of vibrant experiences and spaces that champion film discovery and arts education. Founded in 1976, SIFF offers year-round screenings, film analysis sessions and a series of spotlight festivals throughout the year. SIFF also serves the community through educational programs and SIFFsupports, a partnership program that hosts and provides technical support to a variety of special screenings and festivals.